Dr. Mark R. Milner, noted Cardiologist with Johns Hopkins, practices medicine in Bethesda, and is the new guest on this episode of Housecall. February is American Heart Month a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. Dr. Milner discusses what is and is not healthy for the heart, physically. Many foods are harmful and just has empty calories. Empty calories is anything with no value except sugar, that is 20% of the calories. Soda is full of empty calories. The soda consumption of empty calories has been on the rise. Instead, water is best to drink! Artificial Sweetener usage has also increased with the variety of products that give way to the rise, even thou no studies has ever shown that Artificial Sweetener causes weight loss. Actually it will do the opposite and help people gain weight. It makes you more hyperglycemic and promotes diabetes. Instead have 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar, then you won’t become addicted.
Trans Fatty Acid is a man made product created from heating up vegetable oil. The more the oil is used, the more Trans Fat in it, so by the end of the night the oil for the french fries is at its highest. Trans Fatty Acid is 2% of what we eat, but increases the chance of heart disease by 20-25%. It is very dangerous. According to Dr Milner, Eggs are the greatest little package of protein and inexpensive, except it keeps bad company, like bacon. Hard boiled eggs is a healthier way to eat eggs. Impossible burger hasn’t been fully reported on, so some data still hasn’t been released. It is a semi natural product made from plants with no trans fat or saturated fat, but it does have a lot of salt. Dr. Milner reminds us that the food companies are not trying to prevent heart attacks. They are in the business to make a product you prefer to eat. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and WHO (World Health Organization) check on the effects of products like the Impossible burger.
For more information about heart health visit Heart.org or visit the CDC (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention) for Hypertension Toolkits
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